Scottish Executive

European Funding

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the interaction is between its public expenditure arrangements and the rules of each EU funding programme.

Lewis Macdonald: Structural fund spending is determined by strategies drawn up by partnerships involving key public and voluntary sector agencies. These establish objectives, priorities and measures for each of the EU programmes, and therefore reflect the funding priorities of the Scottish Executive, regional and local partners.

  The structural funds regulations govern how EU funding can be used in the member states. These regulations cover a variety of expenditure issues, notably cost eligibility, timing of payments, and audit requirements and procedures.

European Funding

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what formula is used to calculate the allocation to Scotland under each EU funding programme; what funding has been allocated in each year since 1998-99 and what funding has been subsequently disbursed to organisations under each allocation.

Lewis Macdonald: Scotland's allocations under European Structural Fund Programmes were set with reference to criteria set out in the EU Structural Fund regulations. Such criteria relate to per capita economic and social indicators, including employment, social exclusion, training and education levels.

  The information requested in relation to funding allocated in each year since 1998-99 and funding disbursed to organisations under each allocation is provided in a table available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 28711).

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unrestricted principals in general medical practice have been the sole practitioner within their practice in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of unrestricted principals in general medical practice who have been the sole practitioner within their practice in Scotland, in the years 2000 to 2003 are shown in the table.

  Unrestricted Principal Equivalents (UPEs)1, 2 (Without the Assistance of a Non-Principal)

  


Scotland 
  

All UPEs 
  

All Single-Handed Principals 
  

Single-Handed Principals (Without Assistance) 
  



2000 
  

3,707 
  

 181 
  

 97 
  



2001 
  

3,756 
  

 182 
  

 108 
  



2002 
  

3,767 
  

 177 
  

 108 
  



2003P


3,797 
  

 167 
  

 108 
  



  Notes:

  1. Comprises "in post" unrestricted principals in General Medical Services (GMS) practices and their equivalents in Personal Medical Services (PMS) practices.

  2. Data for 1999 is not available, data for 2000-2002 are as at 1 October, data for 2003 are as at 1 April.

  PProvisional.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unrestricted principals in general medical practice were (a) under 30 and (b) over 60 in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of unrestricted principals in general medical practice who were aged (a) under 30 and (b) over 60 in Scotland, in the years 1999 to 2003 are shown in the table.

  Unrestricted Principal Equivalents (UPEs)1, 2 Aged Under 30 and Aged Over 60

  


Scotland 
  

All UPEs 
  

Aged Under 30 
  

Aged Over 60 
  



1999 
  

3,697 
  

 57 
  

 89 
  



2000 
  

3,707 
  

 63 
  

 82 
  



2001 
  

3,756 
  

 64 
  

 80 
  



2002 
  

3,767 
  

 60 
  

 84 
  



2003P


3,797 
  

 58 
  

 84 
  



  Notes:

  1. Comprises "in post" unrestricted principals in general medical services (GMS) practices and their equivalents in Personal Medical Services (PMS) practices.

  2. Data for 1999-2002 are as at 1 October. Data for 2003 are as at 1 April.

  PProvisional.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund the introduction of defibrillators in every large public venue such as shopping centres.

Malcolm Chisholm: We will continue to keep under review the evidence of the benefits of siting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in large public venues. This need not prevent cardiac services networks from considering the merits of deploying defibrillators in public places in their local area.

Homelessness

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish regulations on unsuitable accommodation under the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is regarding the placing of homeless families in bed and breakfast accommodation.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether section 9 of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 provides a power to ban the provision of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We expect all local authorities to end the inappropriate use of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families with children and progress is being monitored closely. As recommended by the Homelessness Task Force, existing guidance, developed in consultation with COSLA and others, requires councils to identify in their homelessness strategies actions and targets for eliminating the use of bed and breakfast for families. Strategies are being assessed at present.

  The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 introduced a requirement on local authorities to have regard to the best interests of dependent children in exercising their homelessness functions. The Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 strengthens this requirement to make clear that the final accommodation provided must be suitable for occupation by such children so far as is consistent with their best interests.

  The power introduced to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 by section 9 of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 would enable ministers to specify accommodation which is unsuitable for use as interim accommodation for homeless households. It is a broad power which can be exercised subject to conditions or exceptions and which can be used to make different provision for different purposes and different areas. As such regulations under section 9 could be used to specify bed and breakfast accommodation as unsuitable interim accommodation for families. The Executive will consult in due course on use of the regulatory power introduced by section 9 of the 2003 act. The timing of the consultation will be informed by the assessment of local authority homelessness strategies.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of car parking is for (a) patients, (b) visitors and (c) staff at each NHS hospital in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The table lists the latest available information on car parking charges in each NHS board area and by NHS trust where applicable:

  


NHS Board and Trusts


Car Parking Charges for Patients/Visitors


Car Parking Charges for Staff




Argyll and Clyde NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Borders NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Fife NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Forth Valley NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Grampian NHS Board




Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust




Aberdeen Royal Infirmary


£0.80 per visit free with appointment card.


Permit: Based on salary £1.97 - £3.29 per
  week (over 47 weeks).
Electronic card (fob): £1 per week.




Greater Glasgow NHS Board




North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust




Glasgow Royal Infirmary


No parking except in disabled and drop-off
  bays.


£17.50 per month or £250 per annum.




South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust




Victoria Infirmary


Nil


34 designated spaces for senior medical staff
  for a monthly charge - remaining spaces available to visitors
  and staff at no charge.




Yorkhill NHS Trust




Royal Hospital for Sick Children


Nil


£13.04 per month




Queen Mother's Hospital


Nil


£13.04 per month




Highland NHS Board




Highland Acute Hospitals NHSTrust




Raigmore Hospital


£1 per visit or £7 for a weekly pass - exemptions
  for blood donors, radiotherapy patients, WRVS and chaplaincy
  volunteers.


Staff earning <£4.50 per hour pay £25
  per annum. Staff earning >£4.50 per hour pay £45 per
  annum.




Lanarkshire NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Lothian NHS Board




Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust




Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh


Ranges from £1.20 for 1 hour to £10 for over
  6 hours. Concessions are available for patients who have
  to attend frequently, eg for radiotherapy or renal dialysis,and
  for visitors in certain circumstances.


Annual permit costs £250. Otherwise staff
  are charged at the same rate as patients and visitors except
  for a nightshift when a £3 rate applies.




Western General Hospital


£1.00 per day


Annual permit costs £129.25




Royal Victoria Hospital


£1.00 per day


Annual permit costs £129.25




Royal Hospital for Sick Children


No charge but few spaces.


Annual permit costs £129.25




West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust




Liberton Hospital


Nil


Nil




St John's Hospital


£1 per visit or £5 per weekly pass. Free
  disabled parking.


Staff earning <£10k per annum free; between £10k
  and £20k pay £52 per annum; >£20 k pay £120 per annum.




Orkney NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Shetland NHS Board


Nil


Nil




Tayside NHS Board




Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust




Ninewells Hospital


£1.30 per visit


Electronic card (fob) costs £19.17 per month
  - pro-rata for part-time staff.




Perth Royal Infirmary


£1.00 per visit


Card costs £12 per month - pro-rata for part-time
  staff.




Western Isles NHS Board


Nil


Nil




  The information in the table was gathered by the Scottish Executive in its recent review of car parking. The exercise also informed that a number of NHS trusts were reviewing their policy on car parking with a view to introducing or altering charges.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the results of its review of parking at NHS hospitals will be published.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information collated during the review is summarised in the answers given to questions, S2W-1505 and S2W-1507 today. Revised guidance will be published soon.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS hospital car parks are operated by private contractors.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information given during the review of car parking charges indicates that two NHS hospital car parks are operated by private contractors - the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France, and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from patients, visitors and staff regarding parking at the Royal infirmary of Edinburgh.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has received representations about car parking at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, from patients, visitors and staff mainly with regard to costs.

Justice

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for each report received by procurators fiscal from each reporting agency that did not proceed to trial in 2002-03.

Colin Boyd QC: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Justice

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports procurators fiscal received from each reporting agency and, of these, how many proceeded to trial in 2002-03.

Colin Boyd QC: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

NHS Complaints

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it has received to Reforming the NHS Complaints Procedure: Patients Focus and Public Involvement- A draft for consultation .

Malcolm Chisholm: One hundred and seventy-five responses were received to the consultation exercise.

NHS Complaints

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fulfil its commitment to independence within the NHS complaints procedure.

Malcolm Chisholm: Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change committed the Executive to developing proposals for an NHS complaints procedure which is "credible, easy to use, demonstrably independent and effective". The responses to a public consultation exercise on such a new procedure are currently being analysed and we hope that the new arrangements will come into operation in April 2004.

NHS Complaints

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address issues experienced by older people and their families when using the NHS complaints procedure.

Malcolm Chisholm: Proposals for an NHS complaints procedure which is "credible, easy to use, demonstrably independent and effective" were made in a consultation paper published earlier this year. The consultation paper reflects the outcome of a national independent evaluation, which took account of the views of older people and their families who had used the current procedure. The responses to the consultation paper are currently being analysed by Scottish Health Feedback, an independent research organisation, and are due to be published in late August.

Personal and Nursing Care

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that care and nursing home residents are aware of the availability of choice of contract routes with their home for the provision of free personal and nursing care under the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that care home and nursing home residents are offered the choice of contract routes with their home for the provision of free personal and nursing care under the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive issued, in April 2002, Guidance Circular CCD 4/2002 Free Personal and Nursing Care in Scotland . This clearly sets out the contractual arrangements which should apply for personal and nursing care payments for people in care homes. Arrangements require local authorities to offer individuals the choice of contracting directly with care homes or asking the local authority to do so for them.

Renewable Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of upgrading the National Grid to meet the increase in electricity generated from wind farms.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of the electricity network is a reserved matter. However, the Executive participates in the work of the GB Transmission Issues Working Group (TIWG), which has been tasked with looking at the implications for the GB electricity network of the Government’s renewable targets. A report by the group, published in June 2003, estimated that the overall cost of connecting more than 6 gigawatts (GW) of additional renewable capacity in Scotland could be around £1.75 billion.

Renewable Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for funding any upgrade of the National Grid to cope with the capacity of electricity generated from wind farms and future wave energy generation.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of the electricity network is a reserved matter. The electricity network is privately owned and operated and network upgrades are the responsibility of the owners in conjunction with the regulator, Ofgem.

Sexual Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include proposals in its national sexual health strategy to fund the cost of providing free access to the morning-after pill at dispensing points.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include proposals in its national sexual health strategy to ensure there is equal access to pregnancy termination services across Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The expert group, set up to take forward the development of a National Sexual Health Strategy for Scotland, are in the final stages of their work. We expect to receive their final report soon. We will then go out to wide public consultation on the report in the autumn, in the light of which the strategy will be finalised.